Apparatus for effecting chemical reactions by the use of contact masses



Feb. 5, 1935. 5 J HQUDRY 1,989,692

APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING CHEMICAL REACTIONS BY THE USE OF CONTACT MASSESOriginal Filed Oct. 17, 1931 OIL SUPPLY I x s W ,a 2 4 3 |5 a a a 22 2oWK SNQHQOHUMN. u:- a o u g a ...\i

{Lag 23 4 le 7" l3 K IO M OIL VAPORS INVENTOR luyaw 7. 51212 BY HISATTORNEY the mass.

Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOREFFECTING CHEMICAL RE- ACTIONS BY THE USE OF CONTACT MASSES ApplicationOctober 11, 1931, Serial No. 569,529 Renewed January 25, 1984 11 Claim.

This invention relates to apparatus for effecting chemical reactions bythe use of catalytic or other contact masses which require regenerationor reactivation at intervals. More particularly the apparatus comprisesat least two converters arranged for continuous operation with thecontact mass in one converter on stream and effecting a transformingoperation while the contact mass in the other converter is undergoingregeneration, the converters thereafter alternating in function. One usefor which the apparatus is especially adapted is the treatment orconversiqn by heat and contact masses of hydrocarbon material such asmineral oil, tar, and the like.

In the refining, cracking or conversion of hydrocarbons, apparatus ofthe kind in question may be used either for vaporizing liquid material,or for cracking or converting material already vaporized, and thecontact mass may consist of various more or less porous or foraminousbodies, such as ceramic material, fullers earth, etc.. as is well knownto those skilled in the art, according to the nature of the process tobe performed.

In most instances the effect of the heat, together with catalytic poweras the contact mass may possss. results in some degree of cracking ordecomposition. by which dry or tarry carbonaceous or resinous materialis deposited in or upon the material of the contact mass. so that it isnecessary, after a period of active operation, to interrupt the feed ofmaterial to the contact mass and to remove the deposited matter from Themost convenient and effective way to accomplish this removal is to causeoxidation or combustion of the deposited matter, by passing through thecontact mass 9, current of atmospheric air or other oxygen-containinggas. This combustion results in a considerable quantity of heat, whichis carried away in the hot gases of combustion.

The object of the present invention is to produce an apparatus, of thekind in question, havingsimple and effective means both for heating acontact mass which is in active operation, and for economicallyutilizing the heat generated in another similar contact mass which is inprocess of cleansing or reactivation. To this end it is proposed to usea plurality of chambers containing contact masses, and to provide thesechambers with heating conduits and with interconnecting means soarranged that the hot gases of combustion from one chamber may beutilized to heat another chamber, and that the several chambers mayperform their functions alternately.

Other features of the invention, and various accessory means forcarrying it into practice, will be set forth hereinafter, in connectionwith the description of the embodiment of the invention illustrated inthe accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing is 'a diagrammatic view, partly in section ofapparatus embodying the present invention.

In the drawing, two conversion chambers 1 and 2 are shown, which aresimilar in all re- 'spects and which contain contact material 3, such asfuller's earth. The contact material is supported in each chamber by aperforated plate 4, so as to provide a space at the bottom of thechamber for the flow of gases.

The oil which is to be crackedor otherwise converted is drawn from asupply tank 5, through valves 6 and '7 which control the flow of oil tofeed pipes 8 located near the tops of the conversion chambers. Thesefeed pipes are shown as having numerous perforations for distributingthe 011 over the upper surfaces of the contact masses. The gases andvapors resulting from the conversion of the oil are discharged from thebottoms of the chambers through outlet pipes 9, controlled by valves 10and 11, re-

'spectively, from which they may be conducted, through a pipe 12, to acondenser or any other apparatus.

By means such as a rotary blower 13, air for reactivating the catalyticmasses may be discharged into branched air pipes 16 buried within thecontact masses in the respective chambers, the flow of air to onechamber or the other being controlled by valves 14 and 15. The air pipes16 are provided with numerous perforations, so that the air isdistributed throughout the contact masses.

From the top of the chamber 1 a pipe 17 extends to a four-way valve 19.which discharges into a heating conduit 21 buried in the contact mass inthe chamber 2. A similar pipe 18 extends from the chamber 2, through thevalve 19 to a heating conduit 20 in the chamber 1. The conversionchambers may be provided with surrounding jackets or enclosures 22,which are provided with inlet and outlet openings 23 and 24,respectively, so that flue gases or heating fluids of any convenientkind may be used, when necessary, to heat the chambers externally duringthe conversion of the oil. The heating conduits 20 and 21 preferablydischarge into these jackets, so as to provide either all or a part ofthe heating medium within the jackets.

The mode of operation of this apparatus-is as follows: with the valvesin the positions shown, oil is fed through .the valve 7 to the chamber2, where it undergoes vaporization and conversion in the contact mass.The vapors of the converted oil pass outwardly through the pipe 9, thevalve 11 and the pipe 12.

' At the same time, the contact mass in the chamber 1 is undergoingreactivation. The blower 13 discharges air suitably diluted with inertmaterial such as flue gas, steam, nitrogen, or the like, through thevalve 14 and the pipe 16, into and through the contact mass in thechamber 1.

The exothermic reaction or combustion produced in this chamber causesthe gases and vapors emerging from the contact mass to be highly heated,and the hot gases pass through the pipe 17, the valve 19 and the heatingconduit 21. This conduit, being buried in the contact mass in thechamber 2, heats the mass and the oil therein,

thus providing either a large part or the whole of the heat necessaryfor the performance of the endothermic cracking or other conversionwhich is performed in this chamber upon the oil.

The operations above described continue until the reactivation of thecontact mass in the chamber 1 has been completed. The positions: of allof the valves may then be reversed, whereupon conversion of the oil inthe chamber 1 begins, together with reactivation of the contact mass inthe chamber 2. The functions of the chambers are thus alternated, andthe carbon or other material deposited in the contact masses serves asthe fuel to provide the heat necessary to promote the vaporization andconversion of the oil.

It will be obvious that the oil may be fed into the conversion chambersin the form of vapor rather than of liquid, and that any usual means forconserving the heat of the emergent oil vapors, and for condensing thesevapors, may be used if found advisable. The necessity ofsupplying'additional heat through the jackets 22 will depend upon thematerial being treated and the degree to which it is cracked orconverted, the nature of the contact mass used, and other factorsdepending upon the particular operation which is to be conducted in theapparatus.

The invention claimed is;

1. In apparatus of the kind specified, the combination of a plurality ofchambers, each containing a contact mass, air-induction pipes buried insaid mass, and heating conduits also buried in said mass, means forfeeding material into said chambers alternately, means for forcingoxygen-containing gas into the air-induction pipes of the chambersalternately, to promote oxidation of carbonaceous matter deposited inthe contact mass, and means for conducting the hot gases of combustion,so produced in one chamber, into the heating conduit of another chamberwhich is in active operation upon material fed by said feeding means.

2. In apparatus for the continuous treatment of hydrocarbons, thecombination of a plurality.

of chambers having inlet and outlet connections for the hydrocarbons andarranged to be alternately in operation and in regeneration, eachchamber containing a contact mass and having distributing conduits andheating conduits buried in saidmass, means for selectively forcing aregenerating medium into said distributing conduits, and meansselectively to conduct the heat and fumes of regeneration from one ofsaid chambers into and through the heating co duits ofih- H other ofsaid chambers thereby to maintain the contact mass of said last namedchamber at a suitable temperature for treating the hydrocarbon fedthereto.

3. In apparatus for the continuous treatment of hydrocarbons, thecombination of a plurality of jacketed chambers having inlet and outletconnections for the hydrocarbons, said chambers each containing acontact mass and arranged to be alternately in operation and inregeneration, perforated distributing members and imperforate conduitsembedded in the contact masses in said chambers, means selectively todirect a regenerating medium into said distributing members, and

connections whereby said conduits conduct heat and fumes from a chamberundergoing regeneration through the contact mass of an adjacent chamberwhich is in operation and thence into the jacket surrounding said lastnamed chamber.

4. In conversion apparatus, in combination, two chambers in spacedrelation, contact masses in said chambers, inlet and outlet connectionsto said chambers for the material to be treated, means for conducting aregenerating medium into one of said chambers to regenerate the contactmass therein, and means for utilizing the fumes of regeneration toimpart heat to the contact mass in the other of said chambers comprisinga conduit buried in said last named mass.

5. In conversion apparatus, in combination, two chambers in spacedrelation, contact masses in said chambers, inlet and outlet connectionsto said chambers for the material tobe treated, means selectively todistribute a regenerating medium through said masses whereby continuousoperation may be maintained by having one chamber in regeneration whilethe other is in operation and by alternating said chambers as tofunction, and means selectively to conduct hot fumes from the chamber inregeneration within and through the contact mass of the chamber inoperation but without direct contact therewith thereby to impart heat tosaid last named mass.

6. In conversion apparatus, in combination, two chambers in spacedrelation, contact masses in said chambers, inlet and outlet connectionsto said chambers for the material to be. treated, means selectively todistribute a regenerating medium through said masses whereby continuousoperation may be maintained by having one chamber in regeneration whilethe other is in operation and by alternating said chambers as tofunction, each chamber having a hollow jacket surrounding the same andan imperforate conduit buried in its contact mass and discharging a intosaid jacket, and connections for said conduits whereby each becomes avent for the hot fumes of regeneration of the other chamber and heat isimparted to the contact mass which is in operation from the contact masswhich is'in regeneration.

7. Apparatus for efiecting chemical reactions comprising two converterseach containing a con-- generation into heat exchange relation with thecontact mass in the other converter and thence into the independentchamber of said other converter.

8. Apparatus ior effecting chemical reactions tact mass, connections andcontrols for operating said converters alternately on stream and inregeneration, means on the exterior of each of said converters forming achamber independent of the reaction chamber but enclosing at least aportion of the latter, an imperforate conduit embedded in the contactmass of each of said converters and discharging into the independentchamber thereof, and means directing the hot fumes of regeneration fromthe converter in regeneration into the imperforate conduit of the otherconverter.

9. Apparatus for effecting chemical reactions comprising two converterseach containing a contact mass, connections and controls for operatingsaid converters alternately on stream and in regeneration, means on theexterior of each of said converters forming a chamber independent of thereaction chamber but enclosing at least a portion of the latter, animperforate conduit embedded in the contact mass of each of saidconverters and discharging into the independent chamber there- 01, aconnection from the reaction chamber of each, converter to theimperforate conduit of the other converter, and control means for saidconnections whereby the hot fumes of regeneration may be directed fromthe converter in regeneration through the imperforate conduit andindependent chamber of the other converter to impart heat to the contactmass of said other converter.

10. In combination, two catalytic converters, each converter providing areaction chamber for containing a contact mass and a heating chamber atleast partly surrounding the reaction chamber, a connection from thereaction chamber of each converter to the heating chamber of the otherconverter, and unitary control means for both said connections.

11. In combination, two catalytic converters, each converter providing areaction chamber for containing a contact mass and a heating chamber atleast partly surrounding the reaction chamber, a connection from thereaction chamber of each converter to the heating chamber of the otherconverter, said connections intersecting each other, and a single valveat the intersection of said connections for controlling bothconnections.

EUGENE J. HOUDRY.

